MRT-SOUTHWOODS OPEN: Finally, Pagunsan bags one

CARMONA, Cavite — Club pro Rey Pagunsan outduelled former national teammate Richard Sinfuego in the early going then built enough cushion to hold off the rallying Rick Gibson and score a breakthrough win in the MRT-Southwoods Open with a closing 71 at the Southwoods’ Masters course here yesterday.

It was Pagunsan’s worst score in four days, which included rounds of 64, 69 and 70, but it was enough to net him the victory worth P100,000 as Sinfuego never recovered from a double-bogey mishap on No. 6 and limped with a 77 and Gibson ran out of holes and settled for a 68.

Pagunsan, 32, wound up with a 274, two strokes better than Gibson, the Canadian ace who rammed four birdies coming home, and Ruben Sasutil, who scored the day’s best score of 65 on a surprisingly windless day at the hazard-laden layout. Gibson and Sasutil finished with identical 276s and took home P42,000 each.

After showing up with an incredible run of 67s in the first three days, Sinfuego, two up over Pagunsan at the start of the round, failed to endure the pressure and lost his composure as he hit a half-ball shot into a hazard for a double-bogey on No. 6, which Pagunsan birdied from 10 feet.

That three-shot swing, which gave Pagunsan a 2-stroke lead, practically shattered Sinfuego’s confidence as the Canlubang bet took another wet double-bogey, this time on No. 10 when he hit a 6-iron clean shot that rammed into a lateral hazard.

By the time he holed out, he had dropped five strokes for that 77, his dream victory that had appeared to be there for the taking the previous night evaporating as quickly as he dropped his shots into the water. He closed out with a 278 for fourth worth P24,000.

"Malungkot din ako para sa kanya (Sinfuego) pero talaga lang sumama ang palo niya at ako naman ay desidido talagang manalo," said Pagunsan, whose victory augured well for his keenly-awaited stint in the Japan PGA Tour, where he gained a conditional status after hurdling the gruelling 17-day qualifier last December.

"Home course kasi," said Pagunsan who had to take a quick shower after he was thrown into a man-made lagoon fronting the Masters clubhouse by manager Kenji Takao after the awards rites on the 18th green.

He stressed he remained confident despite yielding the lead he had held for the first two days although he admitted having felt the pressure when Gibson, after a run of pars on the first nine holes, started to sink his birdie putts at the back.

"Na-pressure din, kaya nga na-three-putt sa No. 15 at na-miss ko yung 3-footer at 2-footer (for birdie) sa sumunod na butas," said Pagunsan.

But a solid drive on the par-5 18th, a hazard-laden, bunker-riddled hole, eased up the pressure off Pagunsan’s shoulders as he made a routine par, then pumped his arm with full-fisted glee to savor the sweet taste of victory, his first since he turned pro with Sinfuego and Tony Lascuna in the Philippine Open in 1997 in Baguio City.

That will be the very site of the second leg of this year’s 12-stage series, spearheaded by the Fil-Estate Group of Companies through Manila Southwoods chair Bob Sobrepeña, as Pagunsan vowed to score a follow -up win in the Camp John Hay Open slated Feb. 17-21.

"Pero doon, control na ang palo di tulad dito (Southwoods)," said Pagunsan, referring to the par-68 pine tree-lined alyout.

Lascuna took fifth place with a 280 afer a 70, while Cassius Casas hardly recovered from a disastrous 77 Saturday with a 71 as he settled for sixth place at 282, followed by Cesar Ababa (68-283), Dan Cruz (69-284), Roger Antonio (71-285) and Edgar Ababa (73-289) in that order.

"I didn’t put so much pressure on the front nine. And when I did, Pagunsan had enough cushion to coat to victory," said Gibson. "But I’m impressed.